


and in a blink, im home

by hoshiihosh



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Lowkey angst?, M/M, Rated T for language, idk actually know where this is ulitmately going
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-01-04 07:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18339059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoshiihosh/pseuds/hoshiihosh
Summary: He turned to his burger like it was the best thing that happened to him after the invention of cola.(The burger wasn’t the best thing that happened to him. Soonyoung was.)**edit ongoing**





	1. of laughs and of love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If hypothetically speaking, Jihoon fell in love at that exact moment, he would never let anyone know. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

“What the fuck, Cheol hyung?” Jihoon said as soon as Seungcheol picked up the phone.

He heard Seungcheol chuckle in response, “I told you I’d find a way to make you go on that date, right?”

“By locking me out of my own studio?”

“You gotta do what you gotta do.”

“What if I have deadlines? How am I gonna work? Where am I supposed to go?”

“I know you don’t have deadlines, I double checked with Bumzu hyung,” Seungcheol replied smugly, “Oh and I’m not completely heartless, your house keys are under the mat.”

Jihoon cursed under his breath while he got his keys. He brought Seungcheol over to record the rap parts of the demo and Bumzu, his boss, was impressed. He’d forgotten that the two kept in touch.

“How’d you even get my keys? You know what, don’t answer that - I’ll just kick your ass when I see you.”

“Yep, love you too, Jihoonie.”

Jihoon mentally cursed Seungcheol a little bit more as he ran his fingers through his hair, which was greasy after his little studio lock-in. He huffed in annoyance, put his cap back on and recounted how he got into this mess.

After not seeing the sun for nearly three days (because of a mini album he wrote and produced for this rookie group, Seventeen), Jihoon had briefly stepped out of his studio to do some errands.

  1. Drop off the completed mini album to the agency.
  2. Ignore Seungcheol’s texts (threats) to make him go to the blind date he’s been talking about since last week.
  3. Restock his studio’s fridge and pantry
  4. Ignore Jeonghan’s texts sent on Seungcheol’s behalf to make him go to the said blind date.
  5. Get some real food.



As much as he loved his hyungs, the dating scene really isn’t for him and as much as he loved his energy drinks, cola, chips, and instant ramen, he needed real food in his system. So, out Jihoon went.

Who would’ve thought that he’d come back to his studio, there would be a big ass chain looped around the door handles, pulled taut with a padlock right in the middle, and a sticky note marked with Seungcheol’s scrawly handwriting? Certainly not Jihoon.

 

Since he got off the phone with his hyung, he kept trying to get the door open. When he ran out of paper clips, he tried to coax it open with this credit card. When his credit card nearly broke, he even tried to break down the door by sheer force which led to a still locked door and a probably bruised shoulder. 

He gave the door one last kick as his last attempt before picked up his groceries on the pavement as well as the note Seungcheol stuck to the door.

 

_Kwon Soonyoung (Jisoo’s best friend’s roommate)_

_Sun and Moon Restaurant, 7 pm_

 

_PS. He has the key. No date = no key_

  
  


Jihoon heard Soonyoung even before he saw him. 

“Hi, I’m here for the reservation under a Lee Jihoon or a Kwon Soonyoung?”

“Right on time, Sir! I’ll guide you to your table, so would you please-”

The restaurant’s hostess was cut off by loud laughter followed by repeated apologies when he realized everyone had turned their heads towards him.

“Would that be..?” Jihoon motion towards the man with the funny laugh. He caught her tucking away her smile full of endearment and embarrassment on the man’s behalf. He must have that effect on everyone, Jihoon thought. 

“Yes, Sir. That would be him.”

Jihoon nodded and quickly thanked her before making his way over to the man who’s made him soft even before he said a word to him.

“Hi, I’m Lee Jihoon. You must be Kwon Soonyoung?” Jihoon said as he stretched out his arm for a handshake.

“Yes, I am. It’s nice to meet you.” 

Jihoon felt Soonyoung take his hand and watched Soonyoung’s eyes disappear behind his smile.

“I already ordered, if that’s alright with you?”

Jihoon breathed in shakily as they both took their seats. He didn’t want to go to this date initially, but for some reason, he really didn’t want to mess this up.

“Oh here’s the key. Jisoo hyung literally just handed me this before I headed here so I wasn’t able to ask, this is the key to.. ?”

“That is the key to my studio,” he curtly replied as he took the key from Soonyoung. He tried to ignore the heat spreading on his skin from where their fingers touched.

Upon seeing his date’s confused face, he added to give some context. “I make music.”

“That’s so cool! What kind of music do you make? Are you an aspiring singer-songwriter?”

“Actually, no. Right now I’m writing music for a few idol groups so I usually just make pop/EDM tracks.”

“Oh my god, we basically go together then? You sing and I dance,” Soonyoung paused to take a bite of the complimentary bread, “I teach just a few blocks away from here but sometimes I get choreo projects from idol groups too.”

“That seems nice.”

Soonyoung nodded and continued to snack on his food seemingly oblivious to Jihoon’s internal turmoil. Jihoon was naturally cold and awkward around people - he didn’t know how to carry on small talk or how to start a conversation. This was exactly why he didn’t go on dates.

But this one felt.. Different. Jihoon really wanted to make this work.

To Jihoon’s surprise, Soonyoung started to laugh to himself. He almost thought Soonyoung was laughing at him before the giggly boy spoke.

“Wanna hear a joke, Ji? My friend texted it to me right before you came and I really can’t stop thinking about it. I promise it’s a really funny one.”

“Yeah, go for it.”

Soonyoung cleared his throat and straightened up.

“So, what did the horse say to the scarecrow?”

“... what?”

“Haaaaaaaay”

It was quiet for all of two seconds before Soonyoung started laughing his heart out.

“Oh my god,” Soonyoung managed to say in between his wheezes.

“Because horses eat-” he resumed his apparently uncontrollable laughter, “-and scarecrows are made of-”

Another round of laughter took over Soonyoung and Jihoon couldn’t help but laugh at and with him. Honestly, the joke was beyond horrible but the sight before Jihoon filled him with a foreign emotion that he would try to suppress for the next few months.

If hypothetically speaking, Jihoon fell in love at that exact moment, he would never let anyone know. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

  



	2. of songs and of smiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the way you smile is imprinted in the back of my mind  
> so whenever i miss you i can just close my eyes  
> and in a blink, im home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dialogue prompt: "it's three in the morning"
> 
> i also accept prompt requests please just comment them down below 💟

 

Jihoon was _this_ close to ripping his hair out.

He had a cutesy love song due by tomorrow but writer's block was hitting him pretty hard. He couldn't put together good lyrics, actually scratch that, good enough lyrics for the song.

Jihoon's usual regimen for getting out of the block wasn't working and he’d tried all of them. He went out for a walk, he listened to his lord and savior, Bruno Mars, he also hit the gym to work out but he just couldn't write it. He even tried some absurd ways like holding his breath while he did push ups in a handstand position. Jihoon decided that was the worst technique by far - he felt like his head and lungs were going to give out at any moment and the ceiling looked as if it was spinning from where he was lying on the floor.

Minutes passed, or even hours with him just staring at the ceiling until it eventually stopped spinning - Jihoon didn't even want to know how much time he had left to make the song.

However, his frustrations were interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. He did a few log rolls on the floor to get to his phone.

Soonyoung's blurred selfie was flashing on the screen. Despite the many times he got mad at him for disturbing him, right now, he was actually glad for the distraction.

“Hello?”

Jihoon heard a voice he didn't recognize on the other line. “Are you coming, hyung?” they said.

“You guys can go ahead, I’ll be meeting someone,” Jihoon heard Soonyoung say.

Jihoon could hear distant teasing noises, some whooping and a few suggestive grunts and moans.

“Ya shut up! It’s not like that,” Soonyoung said. He could almost hear Soonyoung’s smile and reddened cheeks in his reply.

“Soonyoung?” Jihoon asked. He was thinking that Soonyoung probably pocket called him.

“Oh Jihoon, hi, can you hold for a bit- Chan, are you sure you locked the studio?”

He heard who he presumed was Chan reply inaudibly.

“That’s what you said the last time you left it unlocked! Do you swear on your newborn puppy?”

Jihoon rolled his eyes (fondly) at Soonyoung. Of course, Soonyoung would ask that.

“YA DRIVE SAFELY!” Jihoon heard Soonyoung say followed by a few rustling sounds.

“Sorry for that, Jihoonie. Wanna go out and eat with me?”

Jihoon pulled his phone away from his ear, squinting to see the time. “It’s three in the morning, Soonyoung,” Jihoon rolled his eyes at him again. Soonyoung’s stomach really knows no time.

“So? Am I not allowed to get hungry at three in the morning? Right after practice?”

“I mean, I could be asleep for all you know,” Jihoon argued for argument's sake.

“Bullshit. One, you’re a workaholic and two, you don’t even think about sleeping until after the sun comes up.”

“Excuse me, I am not a workaholic and I’m fully capable of a proper sleep schedule.”

“Oh yeah? Where are you?” Soonyoung replied smugly.

Jihoon couldn't even reply because he'd lose this argument anyway.

“I knew it. I’ll be at your studio in fifteen.”

“I thought we're getting food?”

“Hmm, I don't know, Jihoonie. I was thinking you look good enough to eat?”

Jihoon was so caught off guard that he couldn't even form a sentence. “I- What the- You- SOONYOUNG!”

Jihoon's ears were suddenly filled with Soonyoung's cackling. And more cackling. And a little more crazy cackles.

“I can see your face in my head, Jihoonie. I know for a fact you're beet red head to toe,” Soonyoung said when he could finally catch his breath.

Jihoon was indeed beet red head to toe and he felt his face heat up even more. He also still couldn't find his words so he settled for scowling at the wall, pretending it was Soonyoung.

Soonyoung let a little more giggles fall from his lips. “See you in a bit, Jihoonie,” he said before he ended the call.

Right as the call ended, Jihoon scrambled to get a pen and paper because he finally had a lyric idea that's not total garbage.

As he's writing it down, he couldn't help but think of a certain man whose laugh he couldn't seem to hear enough of and for the first time that night, Jihoon smiled.

  


_the way you smile is imprinted in the back of my mind_   
_so whenever i miss you i can just close my eyes_ _  
_ _and in a blink, im home_


	3. of screams and of ice cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a while since Seungcheol stole Jihoon’s keys to force him to go on a blind date - just enough time for Seungcheol to forget all about it and just enough time for Jihoon to finally get his revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dialogue prompt: "we could get arrested for this"
> 
> i also accept prompt requests please just comment them down below 💟

Airhorn? Check.

Pack of glitters? Check.

Duct tape? Check.

Bottle of cola for while he brainstorms? Check.

Extra tub of ice cream so Soonyoung doesn’t steal the ones he bought for himself? Check.

Jihoon looked through the aisles after he ticked off his mental checklist just in case he missed some things. He threw in a few packets of chips and a few cans of beer and made his way to the counter. Okay, and maybe a few apples and bananas so his friends stop nagging him about eating and breathing junk food.

The 24-hour grocery store he was in was pretty deserted because well, it was the wee hours of the morning. The only cashier in the store was nearly asleep and Jihoon almost felt bad for interrupting his sleep. He said “almost” because even in his half-asleep state, he managed to give Jihoon a questionable and even borderline judgemental look at the things he was buying. He received a signature Jihoon scowl, as expected.

He was walking back to his studio when he realized that he needed something else, or rather, someone else to do the job - Soonyoung.

Jihoon called the dance instructor a few times but he wasn't picking up. He knew Soonyoung's last class today ended at midnight but lately, they've been practicing until the sun came up. There was an upcoming competition they were joining and Jihoon couldn't talk smack about it.

_“Soonyoung, you can't even keep your eyes open. Are you getting enough sleep?”_

_“Awww, Jihoonie. You're concerned about me, aren't you?”_

_“No fucking way. In your fucking dreams, Kwon.”_

At this point, Jihoon only had two choices. He could continue with the plan by himself or he could march his way to Soonyoung's studio. It wasn't that far really, he just needed to make a right at this turn and walk four blocks then turn left and walk another four blocks. In total, it was about 8 blocks out of the way but no distance was too far for his boy. No wait, Jihoon meant his plan. No distance was too far for his plan.

 

 

“Jihoon hyung?” Confusion painted Chan's face when he saw Jihoon at the studio at nearly half-past one.

“Yeah, hi. I'm here to see Soonyoung?”

“Just head to our practice room - make a left then it's gonna be the first door to the right. It's the only noisy room so you won't miss it.”

“Thanks, Chan. See you inside?”

Chan gave him a smile and a little nod and with that cue, Jihoon started to head inside.

True enough, music was blaring from the practice room, so much so that Jihoon felt the floor thrumming with every beat. As the loud, albeit muffled sound got closer, Jihoon could spot a mop of brown hair and he knew immediately who it was.

The dancer was immersed so deeply into his dance, into his _craft_ and he did it so well, too. The amount of soul he was exuding left Jihoon entranced; he couldn’t take his eyes away from the boy. His boy.

Jihoon’s thoughts were quickly cut by cheers from the other two dance instructors, Minghao and Junhui. Jihoon looked on as Soonyoung snapped out of his dance trance and sported a shy smile from his friends’ cheers.

Right at that moment, their eyes met.

Jihoon couldn’t do anything but stop and watch Soonyoung’s smile light up his whole face. His whole being was warming up but he couldn’t stop staring. Soonyoung quickly ran to the door to meet him.

“What are you doing here, Ji?” Soonyoung said fondly.

“I have a plan,” Jihoon stupidly blurted out.

“That’s great and all, but maybe you want to give me some context?” he teased.

Jihoon shook his head to straighten out his thoughts. “I’m going to get revenge on Cheol hyung for stealing my keys and I need your help.”

“Before I hear your plan, what’s in it for me?”

“I got the ice cream that you like,” Jihoon opened the bag of groceries so Soonyoung could see for himself.

“I’m in. What’s the plan?”

Jihoon's thought this through already.

Soonyoung will lift him up on his shoulders so they can attach the glitter packet at the top of the door so when Seungcheol opens the door to go on his morning jog at 5 am, he'll have glitters in every nook and cranny of his entire being. Plus, Soonyoung's going to blast the air horn right in his face while Jihoon gets everything on tape. He’s hitting two birds with one stone here - he gets revenge and blackmail material.

What could go wrong?

 

 

It was nearly three in the morning when Soonyoung and his teammates finished rehearsing. They took so long perfecting the piece Soonyoung was dancing to when he came in. Soonyoung was surprisingly meticulous about the dance that Jihoon bet the boys could do it perfectly in their sleep.

“Hao! Tuck your elbows IN and straighten those KNEES.”

“Jun, you need to go about two inches lower. Yep, a bit lower, NO WAIT THAT’S TOO LOW”

Even Chan, who often got off without being reprimanded, got an earful as well.

“Chan, you’re late to the jump!”

“Do we jump on three or after three?” Chan asked.

“After three, but before and-four.”

“So like, three-AND-and-four?”

The three other boys had already left so Soonyoung and Jihoon were the only ones left in the studio. They could’ve closed up already, but they had time to kill before they set up the prank. The tub of ice cream and two beer cans were now well, empty and were right above where Soonyoung was lying spread-eagle on the floor.

It’s been quiet for about a minute and Jihoon was a bit thankful. Since he finished the ice cream, Soonyoung’s been rambling about anything and everything for the past few minutes. Jihoon assumed it must be the adrenaline and the sugar rush.

But of course, Soonyoung wouldn’t be Soonyoung if he didn’t interrupt the quiet.

“Jihoon?”

“Hmmm?”

“Do you ever think that we aren’t the superior species on Earth? What if ants are smarter than us and they’re plotting the extinction of humankind from under the ground? No, wait. WHAT IF COWS WERE THE SUPERIOR SPECIES-”

“Okay, Soonyoung, that’s enough. I think it’s time to go.”

Jihoon tailed after Soonyoung as he locked up the studio. Soonyoung was quiet again, even as they got into the car. Everything was ready to go but they still weren’t moving. Jihoon looked over at Soonyoung and the poor guy was bouncing his knee anxiously and looked as if he was going to burst any second.

“Soonyoung, are you alri-”

“WILL YOU GO TO THE DANCE WITH ME?”

“What? Like to prom? Do you think we’re in High School Musical 3?”

Soonyoung visibly calmed down and ran a hand through his hair, “No, I meant the competition. It’s Saturday next week and I have a plus one ticket and you don’t even have to pay for anything, you just have to sit there and look pretty. You have nothing to lose except time but um,” he took Jihoon’s hand and looked him in the eyes, “I really want you to be there.”

“Soonyoung, I would’ve watched even if you didn’t ask,” Jihoon softly replied.

They were both just smiling at each other for a while (well Soonyoung was smiling and Jihoon was not scowling). Jihoon was wondering if maybe the sugar rush had worn off, when Soonyoung sat up, revved the engine and screamed,

“OKAY YALLS, LET’S GET THIS BREAD.”

  
  
After a few failed attempts, Jihoon was finally sitting atop of Soonyoung’s shoulders and was trying to stick the glitter packet to the door frame.

“Could we get arrested for this?”

“Really, Soonyoung? We’re already here and you’re asking this now?”

“I don’t want to go to jail, Ji!”

Jihoon rolled his eyes at him. “Can you just cut me a piece of tape?”

“Here, let me just-”

To their surprise, the door suddenly opened and slammed right into their faces.

Jihoon felt Soonyoung step backward only for his foot to land right on the air horn. Right when the airhorn released it's signature honk, Soonyoung jumped and must have lost his footing because they were suddenly falling. Not like, in love; they were literally falling. To the floor.

At the sound of the airhorn and the two boys screaming, the door opener who, to Jihoon’s surprise, was _not Seungcheol_ , started yelling too.

Their screams echoed one another, even their groans after the pranksters hit the floor with a thud.

“Jisoo? Babe?” Jihoon heard Seungcheol say from inside the apartment.

Jihoon was in a lot of pain from falling on his arm but he still managed to catch what Seungcheol said. _Babe??_

Another pair of footsteps came running to the door. “Shuji? Cheol? What’s going on?”

Jihoon stilled again, “Jeonghan hyung?” he said.

“Jihoon?” Jeonghan said, confusion evident in his voice.

“Jisoo?” Seungcheol looked to Jisoo for answers.

“Soonyoung?” Jisoo went over to Soonyoung who was still lying on the floor.

Soonyoung took one look at everyone and stretched out an arm towards Seungcheol. He said, “Everyone’s names’ been said already so you must be Seungcheol hyung.”

Seungcheol slowly moved towards Soonyoung and they managed an upside down handshake.

He was still speechless so Soonyoung just continued speaking, “I’d say it’s nice to meet you if my body didn’t hurt so much and if you aren’t wearing just boxers but I’m really not complaining.”

Jihoon sat up to get a good look at his three hyungs.

Jisoo looked like he was going out in last night’s clothes.

Jeonghan was in a large shirt that was probably Seungcheol’s and it barely reached his mid-thigh.

Seungcheol was in nearly nothing with a bunch of hickeys littering his chest.

It took a moment for Jihoon’s brain to piece things together and when he did, he groaned and put his head between his knees.

He had a feeling that Seungcheol was dating either Jeonghan or Jisoo but he didn't anticipate that he would be dating them _both_ . And worst of all, he didn't find out through a sit-down dinner or even a casual hangout - he found out like _this._

“Ji, you okay?” Seungcheol asked.

“Don’t you dare touch me, I don’t know where your hands have been,” Jihoon gestured at Jisoo and Jeonghan. He ran his hands through his hair distressingly.

“Hyungs please get some clothes on, it’s like I’m walking in on my parents having sex _again,_ ” Jihoon said.

Seungcheol choked on his own saliva while Jeonghan started guffawing. At least Soonyoung and Jisoo tried to suppress their amusement but still they giggled softly.

After Seungcheol had recovered, he shifted to his work voice as if he wasn’t only boxer-clad.

“I’m going back inside. We’re going to talk about this later,” Seungcheol said to Jihoon. He then looked at everyone else, “-and then we’re not talking about this ever again. Understood?”

He waited for Jihoon and Soonyoung to nod and hurriedly went back inside to save any piece of dignity he has left.

But before Jisoo could shut the door completely, Jihoon heard something he wished he could unhear.

“Understood, daddy,” Jeonghan teased, followed by a slapping sound and a yip that sounded a lot like Seungcheol’s.

 

Jihoon wanted to jump off a cliff and die. Please.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. of burgers and of promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never in Jihoon’s life did he think that he would witness four grown ass men huddled together, spinning while whooping in the middle of a diner but here he was and this was his life.

“Since we’ve all been working hard the past few weeks for our competition next weekend, I have a surprise,” Soonyoung said, almost glimmering with glee. Jihoon’s gaze followed him as Soonyoung went to stand at the head of their booth’s table. “Drum roll please!”

Chan, the ever-enthusiastic kid, began the requested drum roll right on cue.

“WE’RE GOING TO THE BEACH TOMORROW!”

Claps and cheers met their ears but it’s much softer than expected since it only came from one out of the three - Chan.

Much to Soonyoung’s surprise, the other two were quick to start their protest.

“Hyung nooooo, I wanted to sleep all day tomorrow,” Minghao whined as he slid down until his face was hidden by his folded arms on the table.

“Yeah, if Minghao gets to sleep in, I get to sleep in too. You know how noisy he is in the morning!” Junhui added, clearly stressed.

_Minghao didn’t even take notice of Junhui’s side comment. That’s how upset he is_ , Jihoon mused. He could also clearly see the panic and desperation from Junhui’s eyes and not to be a complete psychopath, but it entertained Jihoon all the more.

“We’ve been planning to sleep in for weeks now, hyung. We even got our scented candles and chamomile tea and even put our blankets in the dryer so they’ll be toasty and warm and-”

“Hyung, _please_ ,” Minghao said, voice muffled from his arm fortress.

“I’m sorry my beloved children,” Soonyoung started with a tone that had no trace of remorse (Jihoon had to roll his eyes at him - if there was a child here, it was him), “but I have made up my mind and that is final.”

Jihoon watched on as Junhui and Minghao all but sulked in their seats.

“But that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get your well-deserved sleep, though. Because..”

Minghao looked up at Soonyoung, eyes sharp and calculating.

Junhui just looked perplexed at how the whole thing was going to unfold.

“In light of our beach trip tomorrow, TONIGHT’S PRACTICE IS CANCELLED!”

Never in Jihoon’s life did he think that he would witness four grown ass men huddled together, spinning while whooping in the middle of a diner but here he was and this was his life.

 

Jihoon, Soonyoung, Junhui, Minghao, and Chan were having a late lunch together which was quickly becoming routine. The boys had Friday afternoons free and luckily, the diner by Jihoon’s studio was a favorite - greasy comfort food was all the reward they needed after a long week.

From the dance studio, they would pass by Jihoon’s to invite him for lunch. “Invite” being the milder word for what it truly was - “force”.

Just earlier that day, Jihoon threatened to beat up Soonyoung’s ass if he took another step and Soonyoung counter-offered to shut off the power to the studio.

Jihoon, although reluctant, raised a figurative white flag because he couldn’t risk losing his work (even if he had a back-up generator that would run for at least 6 hours) and not because he actually liked spending time with the four boys. Absolutely not.

 

When their little whooping circle ceased after a few dirty looks and shushes from the other customers, the dancers were quick to plot their itinerary. Jihoon drowned out their excited chattering and went back to his cheeseburger and fries. It was just past noon which was too early for his nocturnal self to deal with all the noise.

Jihoon was halfway done with his burger but no one else has touched their food, instead, busying themselves with their plans for tomorrow. Their excitement must still be coursing through them because they were still as hyped as they were half an hour ago if not more.

“Are we gonna take your car, Soonyoung hyung?” Minghao asked.

“I CALL SHOTGUN!” Chan even raised his hand like the good student that he is.

“Chan, you can’t call shotgun. Obviously, Jihoon’s gonna sit up front. Right, Ji?” Junhui, with all the other boys, turned to Jihoon to catch his response. Although Jihoon was caught off-guard, that didn’t mean he didn’t notice Soonyoung’s red tinted cheeks.

“Huh?” Minghao shot him a look of disgust. Jihoon forgot he still had a mouthful of cheeseburger and he just gave everyone a good visual of his mostly chewed meal. “I’m part of this beach trip? I thought it was a dance-team-only thing?”

The looks on their face spelled out the same thing - fucking duh.

“Thanks, everyone for being so kind and understanding, how was I supposed to know?”

Junhui turned to their leader, “Soonyoung, collect your mans, will you?”

Soonyoung’s eyes snapped to Jihoon’s, eyes searching for any sort of backlash he might have.

Jihoon was careful not to give anything away. He didn’t want to lay his heart out here, right in front of everyone to see.

People assume that Jihoon’s a cold-hearted person and not without reason. Face-to-face communication was not his strongest suit so he often hid behind blank facades and empty eyes. The only people who can see through him is Seungcheol because he’s known him for years, Jeonghan because he’s a heaven-sent angel who just sees his soul and Soonyoung.

Soonyoung that he wanted to sing all the love songs he made to. Soonyoung whose touch, as much as he didn’t want to admit, he couldn’t get enough of. Soonyoung that made him see that he could have a life outside of his solitude.

Soonyoung who he wants to lay out his heart to but he doesn’t know how.

They never put any label on what they were. Both of them, or Jihoon at least, held onto the unspoken acknowledgment that they were more than just friends. The hard thing about unspoken agreements was, Jihoon realized, that you never really know if it’s real or not, if it’s one-sided or not.

He and Soonyoung were in that thin line of friends, but also not quite. More than friends but still just friends.

So Jihoon did what he knew to do. He kept his eyes devoid of any emotion and looked away.

“So okay,” Chan conceded, Jihoon thought he must’ve sensed the weird air, “I CALL RIGHT WINDOW!”

“Actually, about seating arrangements, you might want to ask someone else for that? I’ve invited a couple more people so we need a van to fit,” Soonyoung said as if nothing happened.

“Well, who?”

Soonyoung flashed a sheepish smile at Minghao and everyone watched Minghao’s face morph from innocent curiosity to sudden realization to frustrated disbelief.

“Wait. Really?” Minghao asked. This time, Soonyoung actually looked sorry as he nodded at Minghao.

“HYUNG, NO WHY!”

“SORRY, HAO, I REALLY DIDN’T MEAN TO BUT I ASKED HIM A MONTH AGO AND I THOUGHT BY NOW YOU’D BE OFFICIAL-”

Jihoon’s puzzlement must be plastered on his face (by plastered, it’s actually mildly evident) because Chan nipped his questions in the bud.

Chan scooted over and whispered, “Hao hyung is seeing this guy, Mingyu hyung, and Mingyu hyung asked Hao hyung to be his boyfriend like last week but Hao hyung has commitment issues so he didn’t give Mingyu hyung a solid answer so everything is awkward between them now.”

Although a bit enlightened, Jihoon was still confused about one more thing - what does that have to do with seating arrangements?

Chan seemed to read his mind again. “Oh and Mingyu hyung has a van,” he clarified.

When he turned his attention back to the others, Minghao was still begging off from the beach trip and Soonyoung was having none of it. Junhui was so invested in their little debacle that Jihoon wanted to offer him a bucket of popcorn while he was at it.

They moved on to arguing about being boyfriends, commitment issues, and the implication of labels and that was something Jihoon didn’t want to talk or even hear about especially now with this weirdness between him and Soonyoung. He turned to his burger like it was the best thing that happened to him after the invention of cola. (The burger wasn’t the best thing that happened to him. Soonyoung was.)

  


Jihoon lived to escape awkward situations but he kept finding himself in them anyway. Like now.

After the awkwardness they barely managed to escape at lunch, Jihoon found himself in Soonyoung’s car without their three buffers. The boys were headed to their apartments on the other side of town and had declined Soonyoung’s offer to drive them there.

So it was just them, alone, in a confined space for the next 30 minutes. Great.

“Are you excited about the trip tomorrow, Jihoonie?”

“Yeah, I guess. I haven't gone to the beach in a while. You?”

“Yeah, me too.”

After their brief attempt at small talk, no one really tried to initiate conversation anymore. The air was thick with tension and this time, Jihoon was sure it wasn't one-sided.

Soonyoung was being uncharacteristically quiet so he spared him a discreet glance to see if he was still breathing. He was, in fact, alive but there appeared to be something on his mind.

_That makes two of us_ , Jihoon thought.

He turned to look out the window, counting the people they drove past. With every person they passed, the more Jihoon’s eyes fluttered shut. He only got to count until seventeen.

 

He woke up to Soonyoung shaking his shoulder. “Ji, wake up. We’re at your place already.”

“Oh shit, did I fall asleep? Sorry,” Jihoon said.

“That’s alright,” Soonyoung politely smiled. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Jihoon took that as a cue to leave. “Yeah. Convenience store at 2:30.”

“Convenience store at 2:30,” Soonyoung nodded and echoed.

“I, uh, yeah. Thanks, you know, for the ride.” Jihoon cursed mentally - he was making this more awkward than it already is.

Soonyoung just smiled at him and gestured for him to walk inside the building. He gave him a tight-lipped smile, turned around and paced towards the building lobby.

Each step he took farther from Soonyoung felt like another drop of water poured into an already full glass. It wasn’t going to spill, not yet anyway, but knowing that it might break anytime made Jihoon’s gut sit heavy.

_Fuck it._

“Soonyoung!”

“Jihoonie!”

The two boys called each other at the same exact time and maybe it was silly because Soonyoung let out a giggle. “You first,” Soonyoung said.

Jihoon opened his mouth only for nothing to come out. He didn’t know what to say, or how to say it. His 10 seconds of bravery had just lapsed and he just wanted the Earth to swallow him whole.

_I want to sing all my love songs to you._

_I want to hold your hand._

_I want you to know I care._

“I- um. Take care. Going home. I know you overspeed when no one’s in the car with you.”

Soonyoung tried to hide his shy smile but his rosy cheeks gave him away.

“Hmm, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were concerned about me,” Soonyoung teased.

“Um, I, yeah. I am.”

Jihoon watched Soonyoung’s smile light up his whole face. He laid out his heart, although just a tiny bit (he’s really trying okay) but now, he wanted the Earth to swallow him whole even more. Please.

Soonyoung just smiling at him isn’t doing well for him too, his heart can only take so much.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Jihoonie,” Soonyoung said still sporting his megawatt smile that could probably power a city.

Soonyoung was saying goodbye but to Jihoon, he felt as though it meant more. As though it was meant as a promise. Like a promise that tomorrow they were going to be new people, that they were going to change. Like a promise that tomorrow they were finally going to take a chance.

“Tomorrow,” Jihoon echoed this time.

_I promise._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this has no dialogue prompt bc this chapter was just supposed to lead up to the chapter that has the dialogue prompt but i got carried away with writing hehe
> 
> i also accept prompt requests please just comment them down below 💟


	5. of sand, of sun, and of the sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You make me want things that I can’t have”
> 
> “Well, if you want, you can have me?”

At exactly 4:30 am, Jihoon stepped in the convenience store, backpack slung over his shoulder, and strings on the hood of his sweater pulled tight until there was only enough space for his eyes to peek through. He didn’t care if he looked like a complete dunce but he did care that his nose would freeze and fall off. He supposed that looking like a dumbass was a small price to pay.

Luckily, there weren't many people in the store at half past 4 except for the over-caffeinated cashier who was all but bouncing in his seat, a couple who was preoccupied with locking lips near the dim back exit, and Soonyoung who was anxiously bouncing his knee while sipping his coffee. He might have underestimated the hot beverage because he grimaced and started to fan his burnt tongue.

As usual, Jihoon couldn’t help but laugh at Soonyoung. At the sound of his tinkling laughter, Soonyoung whipped around and also found himself wheezing because of his “hoodie hole” as the dancer called it.

When they both had settled, Soonyoung slid a cup of coffee to Jihoon.

“I got you one too. I figured you’d be cold from the walk.”

“Oh thanks,” Jihoon said, relaxing from the heat seeping through the coffee cup to his almost numb fingers. “Where’s everyone else?”

“They live on the other side of town, right? Mingyu, the guy who owns the van, also lives in that area so they’re meeting there before they come to us since we’re closer to the highway.”

Jihoon nodded as he watched the coffee cup touch Soonyoung’s lips. He averted his gaze before anyone could notice what he was doing but his cheeks slightly reddened anyway.

At times like these, it was a blessing that Soonyoung was quite dense because he just continued to speak without noticing Jihoon’s internal struggle.

“Mingyu is a puppy disguised as a giant and is Haohao’s _not_ -boyfriend that’s why he was stressed out yesterday.”

“Yeah, Chan caught me up. I agree that it’s not your fault, by the way. Since the Mingyu guy had said yes when you asked if they were still a go given their, um, situation.”

“Yes, finally someone’s on my side,” Soonyoung did a little raise-the-roof from his little victory. He continued, “Also, Chan knows too much for his own good. I think he just plans to keep all our secrets and hold it as leverage when he wants something.”

“That… is not impossible.”

“Right? Mingyu’s best friend, Wonwoo is coming too. He looks like a scary wolf but on the inside, he’s a cuddly kitty,” Soonyoung said and took a sip from his coffee.

“So Mingyu - puppy and Wonwoo - wolf? How do you know their spirit animals?” Jihoon questioned.

“I don’t know, it’s just instinct. Like Hao is an owl, because he’s wise. Oh and he looks judgemental all the time. Junnie is maybe a rabbit, really cute to like fucking crazy real quick,” Jihoon just nodded at him because weirdly enough, the spirit animals kind of made sense.

“Chan, I haven’t figured out yet. Junnie said you looked like a stingray. Before you throw a ‘what the fuck?’ at me, I mean the underside of a stingray. Here’s let’s google it.”

Soonyoung whipped out his phone and pulled up a photo of a stingray and.. Jihoon couldn’t say it didn’t look like him. It resembled him but in a way, neither of them could really pinpoint. It was funny, though a bit weird, but still funny.

“What’s yours then?”

“I’m a tiger,” Soonyoung said, his hand formed like a tiger’s paw. He growled fiercely and clawed at Jihoon.

“Alright, easy there, tiger,” Jihoon chuckled. “I think you’re more of a hamster, though. You know, with your cheeks.” He sucked in some air so he could completely puff out his cheeks to tease Soonyoung.

“Am not!! I’m a fierce tiger.” To prove his point, he took a deep breath to roar but instead, he released a pretty sick burp. They stilled in surprise for a bit and soon enough, burst into laughter.

“One time, we were having a longest burp contest. So everyone went and when it was Jun’s time to go, he burped like really long but then right after that, we all heard a little ‘prrrrt,’” he paused to howl with laughter. Jihoon smirked from behind the coffee cup that he was sipping on.

“He farted right in front of Wonwoo who he has a big fat crush on. Junnie was red for the rest of the day and he wouldn’t speak,” Soonyoung was wiping his tears away at the memory. He calmed down before he continued, “Junnie’s a complete fool in front of Nonu but he’s so oblivious - it’s hilarious.”

“You guys sound close, huh?”

“Oh yeah because Gyuhao’s been a thing for almost a year now so we’ve known Wonwoo for that long too and they’re cool guys so we hang out often.”

“Gyu-what?”

“Gyuhao, like MinGYU and MingHAO together. We started calling them that to annoy them and it kind of stuck.”

Their conversation was cut short by flashing lights from outside the store. Jihoon could vaguely make out a shadow on the driver’s side waving excitedly.

“That’s them. Let’s go!”

Soonyoung moved his hand towards Jihoon’s own. His heart started to rapidly beat and with every inch Soonyoung moved, the more he froze in his seat. Jihoon just stopped breathing and closed his eyes.

“I got your bag already, Jihoonie,” he heard Soonyoung’s voice, though it sounded much farther than expected.

When Jihoon opened his eyes, he spotted Soonyoung’s back walking towards the exit with both his and Jihoon’s backpack in tow. Jihoon’s backpack that was leaning on his leg, right where his hand was resting. His backpack that Soonyoung was reaching for and not his hand.

Jihoon wasn’t sure if he wanted to sigh in relief or in disappointment or just bang his head on the table. He didn’t do any of those, though. He figured that being red-faced was punishment enough. He put his hood back up, kept his head down and thanked heavens it was still dark out.

 

“Hi Soonie hyung, Jihoon hyung!” The tall giddy man-child bowed a full 90 degrees to him. Jihoon thought it might be Mingyu from the way he was nearly bouncing from excitement. Maybe if he turned around, they’d even see his tail wagging enthusiastically. “I’m Mingyu, Hao’s- I mean, everyone’s friend. I, uh, can I get your bags so I can put it with the others?”

Jihoon smirked when he spotted Junhui snickering at Mingyu’s effortless awkwardness and Minghao’s embarrassment, given away by his red-tipped ears. “Yeah. Thanks, man.”

Jihoon settled into the rightmost seat and shut the door. Behind him, half-asleep Chan was startled by the sudden slam. “Oh hi hyung,” Chan paused to yawn and pointed at the guy beside him, “that’s Wonwoo hyung. But he’s not a hyung to you. Only to me. Good night.”

He politely nodded at Wonwoo who indeed looked like a wolf but more like a fox in his opinion. He still had to commend Soonyoung because his Mingyu-puppy and Wonwoo-wolf description was spot on.

When he looked back at Chan, the kid was already knocked out. “Is Chan alright?” he whispered to Soonyoung. Whenever he saw Chan, he was a ball of energy when he danced, when he laughed, and even when he talked. It was so foreign to see him groggy and well, tired.

“Oh, that’s normal. That’s him during his caffeine crash,” Soonyoung peeked at Chan’s sleeping form. “The kid’s perpetually tired from being a student by day and instructor by night and all the practices we have on top of that. He’s graduating soon though, so he just has to get by the next few months and he’s good to go.”

Jihoon nodded in understanding. “Does Wonwoo have a hectic schedule too?”

The guy in question was also fast asleep and Mingyu hasn’t even hopped back in the van yet.

“No. He just likes to sleep,” Soonyoung snickered.

“We’re all set guys!” Mingyu said as he clambered in the driver’s seat. “Next stop, the beach! Actually, we need to stop over at the gas station along the highway to get gas and pee, but THE BEACH!”

Jihoon couldn’t see Minghao but he was pretty sure he wanted the break-dancing elf-eared aliens (that Junhui always said Minghao was) to come back and claim him.

 

After a mostly pretty uneventful ride, they reached the beach a couple of hours after sunrise. Everyone had been napping or been trying to nap for the first few hours to the ride to give Gyuhao some space if they wanted to talk. Mingyu wanted to talk because he was a sweetheart that would give his all, 110%, but Minghao looked like he wasn’t ready for it. Mingyu didn’t push it and let him have his space.

When Soonyoung figured out that they wouldn’t get any words out of them no matter how long he stayed quiet, he bugged Mingyu until he let Soonyoug put on his “morning hype playlist”. Everyone woke up to Eye of the Tiger on full blast with Soonyoung singing at the top of his lungs and a few growls on the side.

Needless to say, everyone was glad to finally get to the shore. Mingyu and Wonwoo got right on to unloading their bags.

“Here’s your bag, Jun,” Wonwoo extended his arm to Junhui who shyly thanked him and swayed side-to-side like a schoolgirl with a crush. He nodded politely and went back to work. Everyone except very oblivious Wonwoo and Mingyu was ready to burst out in laughter.

While Wonwoo had turned around, Junhui had turned into a panicked gay. He grabbed onto Minghao’s arm and dragged him as far away from the van as possible.

“Jun, I don’t even have my bag yet, where are we going?!” Minghao resisted.

“Mingyu can take your bag to you. Right, Mingyu?” Junhui taunted him.

“Heard you, Jun hyung! Will do!” Mingyu yelled back from the back of the van.

Checkmate. Nice one, Jun.

When all the bags have been unloaded, everyone was just stupidly standing there, not knowing what to do next. Thankfully, Soonyoung broke the silence.

“Last one to the shore buys us dinner!” he screamed and took off without as much as a go signal.

Chan, who already got his fill of caffeine, sped towards Soonyoung in a fraction of a second. They watched on as Soonyoung and Chan tried to jokingly shove each other without losing their footing.

Jihoon locked eyes with Wonwoo, whose usually nonchalant face is now a smug smile with a hint of competitiveness in his eyes.

Mingyu must have sensed that they were going to take off as well, “No no wait hyungs, this isn’t fair; I’m carrying two bags- YA I SAID WAIT!”

They scrambled towards the water anyway.

  


“Stop staring at Soonie hyung like that, you’re going to burn a hole right through him,” Minghao teased Jihoon. The two of them had dried off, the sun too high for their liking. They opted to just watch everyone else splash around.

Jihoon couldn’t help but scoff at him, “You’re one to talk. Don’t pretend like you haven’t been looking at Mingyu like you want to kiss him and/or drown him.”

Minghao didn’t even attempt to deny it. “It’s just, I don’t know. He’s so nice and funny and cute and dumb, it’s impossible not to fall in love with him.”

“Then why don’t you?”

“Why don’t I what?” he looked to Jihoon, eyebrows meeting in the middle.

“Fall in love with him.”

“I can’t hyung.”

They were both quiet for a while before Jihoon started to speak again.

“Do you want to tell him off when he does stupid things?” Minghao nodded for a yes.

“Do you want to tell him about your day and hear about his?” Yes.

“Do you want to hold his hand?” Yes again.

“Have you done those things with him before?” Surprise, surprise, it’s a yes too.

“Then why are you letting a label stop you?”

Jihoon heard Minghao sigh and he doesn’t hear anything else.

 

After a whole day of the sun, the sea, and the sand, which could be found in all of their nooks and crannies, the boys were all exhausted, red painting the tops of their sunburned cheeks. It was nearly sunset when everyone started packing up.

“Where’s everyone’s bags?” Jun said curiously, backpack slung over his shoulder, eyeing the rest of them who had no bags in sight.

“Gyuhao got them, they were loading already,” Wonwoo replied.

“We can all go there, we’re leaving anyway,” Chan sat up, dusting the sand off of him.

They were all beat from running around and swimming all day that their quiet walk was more of a reluctant trudge back to the van. When they were close enough, they slowed down because it suddenly wasn’t that quiet anymore.

“You make me want things that I can’t have,” they heard Minghao say.

“Well, if you want, you can have me?” Mingyu said, voice small but sincere.

It was quiet for all of five seconds and the rest of the guys looked at each other to back away but Jun had other ideas.

“Seriously guys, this is super sweet and all of that shit but you guys need to wrap this up or we’re getting murdered on the road,” Junhui said making his way around to the two lovebirds.

As expected, he received glares from Minghao and surprisingly, Mingyu too.

“Okay, everyone let’s take 5- no, take 15. No, take an hour and while you’re at it write goodbye letters to your family in case a killer follows us home,” Junhui said voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Jun hyung, are you asking to get locked out of your apartment again? You know, the same apartment you share with Minghao hyung,” Chan scoffed at Jun and ushered his hyung away.

Jihoon caught Wonwoo eyes following Junhui as he walked away, a shy smile playing on his lips. _Interesting._

“Jihoonie, uh, wanna take a walk?”

“Sure,” he glanced towards Wonwoo who was going to be left alone. “Wonwoo?”

“Ah you guys go ahead, I’ll just load up the rest of the bags.”

They walked along the shoreline, where the water just barely kissed the shore before it pulled back. The silence enveloped them both, thick with all the unsaid words between them.

“OW!” Soonyoung suddenly fell to the sand, grasping his foot, spewing out curses.

Jihoon was on Soonyoung in second, trying to see where he had gotten hurt. Was it a crab? A sharp rock? He was so focused on Soonyoung’s foot that he didn’t notice Soonyoung’s face was contorted to an exaggerated kissy face with a finger heart to match.

It took Jihoon one look at Soonyoung’s face to blush bright red, flustered by the prank and by the proximity of their faces. He pushed Soonyoung to the sand and kept walking, his heartbeat ringing in his ears as well as Soonyoung’s distant cackles.

When Soonyoung caught up, they were once again in silence but this time, it was easy and comfortable.

The quiet could only last for so long, though. Jihoon really wanted to get some things off of his chest.

“Are you like this to all your friends?” Jihoon finally said, focusing on how his feet sank through the sand instead of the slight waver in his voice.

“Like what?”

“Like,” Jihoon gestured vaguely at Soonyoung.

“I’m not sure I understand you, Jihoonie,” Soonyoung tilted his head at Jihoon, eyebrows pushed together.

Jihoon took a couple of deep breaths. “Like you make them feel everything but nothing at the same time,” he paused to gather his thoughts. “Like everything is nothing without you.”

“That sounds straight out of a song, Ji. You might need to write that down,” Soonyoung chuckled.

Jihoon tried to smile at Soonyoung’s remark but his heartbeat ringing in his ears made it impossible. He paid more attention than needed at how the tide pushed and pulled at his feet.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before Soonyoung replied.

“I don’t know, nobody ever told me before. But,” Soonyoung cleared his throat and slowly started speaking, hesitation showing through the pauses in his words.

“Do you, uh, feel,” he took a big breath, “likethataboutme?”

“Yeah,” Jihoon breathed, not sure if Soonyoung heard him.

“Really?” Soonyoung replied, voice as soft as Jihoon’s.

“Really.”

“Because me too.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise! a back-to-back update!!! i hope you like it hehet
> 
> also does anyone else notice that my chapters get longer and longer sdjfahsks
> 
> and i think that's it??? i just finished my first ever fic on here???? thanks for reading bubs uwu

**Author's Note:**

> snippets of soonhoon mostly based on these prompts https://twitter.com/friedjicken/status/1112769434098098177?s=19
> 
> i also accept prompt requests please just comment them down below 💟


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